From left to right: Head of the Council of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Barbados, Stephen Smith, listens as Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley speaks with Duke of Edinburgh Awardee Jamar Odwin and Trustee Sir Trevor Carmichael.
Plenty for youth to do
There are plenty of programmes for young people to take part in, they need only to open their eyes and look for them.
Word of this came from Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth, Stephen Lashley as he delivered a few remarks during a press launch of the twinning of the Parish Ambassadors Programme and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
“There is absolutely no reason or excuse today in Barbados any youth to stay at home or on the block and there is nothing for them to do,” he said,
“There are many programmes, such as the Duke of Edinburgh awards, that are available to them and the training provided often leads to employment opportunities.”
The Minister went on to note that there were many issues affecting youth today, many of which are highlighted daily in media, printed and social.
“Indeed I believe that we need to spend more time in the media highlighting more of the good work that they continue to do. I think there is an overbalance or excessive commentary in print and electronic media and now on social media, which seeks to highlight every possible negative activity of some of our youth,” he said.
“I think that it is a national scandal and it gives an embellished reflection of our young people. I have a lot of confidence in the ability of our young people to rise above an over reliance on negativity,” he added.
Our children and youth hold the key to Barbados’ future development and it is against this backdrop that Lashley urges young people to get out of their comfort zone and be that ‘positive change’ in their society.
Additionally, he noted that young persons needed to be reminded of the fact that they are responsible for who they become in life.
“I get the impression that we are not focussing on the element of responsibility, which must also reside in our young people,” he said,
“It cannot be that there is only a focus on what can be done for our young people, which is important as well, but there must also be an important focus on the responsibility of every young Barbadian
person.”